Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of Central Command, expressed confidence at the ongoing US escalation in Afghanistan, saying he is "seeing some positive trends" in the war, and thinks the US is on the right track, some 16 years into the war.

Votel cited the increased number of US troops embedded with Afghan forces, nominally as "advisers," as an important part of the move to "break the stalemate" in Afghanistan, which he was confident would happen.

The "stalemate" conceit is something Pentagon officials have claimed for a long time, explaining that the war isn't being won because it's in a stalemate. In reality, US-backed forces have been losing ground for years, and hold less territory than at any time since the 2001 invasion.